C’mon, Kids, Let’s Try Sleeping at the Same Time!

We have a funky sleep routine at our house right now… as I write this from my daughter's bedroom floor (thank goodness for the Notes app on my phone).

Exactly.

Our oldest, thanks to the crazy summer we had, has developed a fear of falling asleep on her own. Since she was 6 months old, I have always been able to rock her (and when she got older, watch a short show, like the Wonder Pets), then go lay her in her bed – fully awake – and she could fall asleep on her own. Now, she must either fall asleep in my bed while watching a movie, or I am forced to sit on her floor while she crashes.

While I am doing this, my husband is tending to our youngest– hooking him up to his pump for his last feed of the night, and then letting him drift off in the swing.

After I tiptoe out of my daughter's room once she finally succumbs to sleep, I usually walk into the living room to the sounds of boy snores: 31-year-old snores from the couch, and 6-month-old snores from the swing.

I usually wake the old one and shuttle him off to bed, and then try to, somehow, pull the baby from the swing and resume the gentle side to side motion in my arms, in an attempt to make him think he's still being rocked by the swing.

It doesn't always work. If it does, I scurry to my bedroom and lay him in the mini-crib on my side of the bed and hold my breath as he squirms and snuggles in. Sometimes his eyes pop open and you can tell he's about to scream for his swing. Other times, he is out like a light, and I gratefully climb into bed.

However, I must make sure the toddler is fully asleep, otherwise the slightest sound will rouse her and I will be relegated to letting her lay in our bed for “one more episode.” The TV keeps the baby awake, and so back to the magic swing he goes, while I head back to my spot on the floor of my daughter's room.

Sounds like a blast, doesn't it? Like an insane, never-ending cycle of craziness.

Really, though, once both kids do finally manage to fall asleep, they are pretty much out for the night. On occasion, my daughter will climb out of bed and begin gathering toys to bring into my room and lay on my chest. Cutest/scariest way to wake up? With a plush Buzz Lightyear nose to nose with you. Let's just say I managed to muffle my scream.

And, in the event one of them wakes too early, I will relent, and pull the toddler in so she can fall asleep with her foot on my husband's face and her head in my back. Or, I pull the baby in bed with me, and enjoy the silence as my arm goes numb from cradling him.

Either way, there is some sleep to be had in our house; just, which bed it takes place in, or how long it lasts, is always a fun little mystery each night.

Okay … I think my daughter is asleep. Time to pray that my knees don't pop too loudly as I get up off the floor (as always, this is when the thought runs through my mind that I should be doing yoga).

C’mon, Kids, Let’s Try Sleeping at the Same Time!

Rachel is a stay-at-home-mom to her 4-year-old daughter, Sydney, and her 18-month-old son, Jackson. Her writing can be found all over the web, mostly detailing her own parenting struggles and triumphs, as well as her life as the military spouse of an active-duty airman. She also writes about her life as as a special needs parent on her blog, Tales From the Plastic Crib, and spends an unnecessary amount of time on Twitter. ... More

EverydayFamily.com offers general information and is for educational purposes only. This information is not a substitute for professional medical, psychiatric or psychological advice. Nothing on this website should be taken to imply an endorsement of EverydayFamily.com or its partners by any person quoted or mentioned.

Login with your account from EverydayFamily

Reset Password

EverydayFamily.com Week-by-Week Newsletter

Receive weekly updates on your pregnancy or new baby’s development as well as Free Stuff, Special Offers, Product Samples, Coupons, Checklists and Tools you can use today, and more from EverydayFamily! Plus all new members are entered to win FREE diapers for a year!Receive weekly updates on your pregnancy or new baby’s development as well as Free Stuff, Special Offers, Product Samples, Coupons, Checklists and Tools you can use today, and more from EverydayFamily! Plus all new members are entered to win FREE diapers for a year!